DAMON HILL will begin his task of seeking a drive for the 1997 season by talking to the Jordan and McLaren teams. He will also be speaking to Jackie Stewart who is fielding his new Ford-backed F1 squad for the first time next year.
The news of Hill's sacking by Williams - announced at a press conference yesterday - hardly came as a shock to many Formula One insiders, many of whom had been waiting for such an announcement for several days.
Yet the timing could hardly have been worse, putting Hill under even more pressure as he seeks to protect his 13 point lead from team-mate Jacques Villeneuve in next Sunday's Italian grand prix at Monza.
In a phone call, Frank Williams politely informed Hill's solicitor, Michael Breen, that he was withdrawing from the contractual negotiations which had been continuing for a couple of weeks. Apart from explaining that the reason behind his decision had nothing to do with money, Williams offered Breen no other explanation.
"It was a bolt from the blue" said Breen. "When we were negotiating for this season, Frank said to Damon, `Let's see what happens. If you win the championship, you know I have already lost enough world champions and been berated by my sponsors than I would never, ever do it again.' Is that good enough?"
Williams was referring to Nigel Mansell's departure under acrimonious circumstances in 1992, followed by Alain Prost's departure a year later when Ayrton Senna was recruited against his will. Both men left Williams as reigning world champions.
What Williams most certainly did not say was that there was never any real chance of signing Hill for 1997 as he had long ago completed a deal for the German driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen to race alongside Jacques Villeneuve next season. This scenario has been consistently denied by the team.
"It is correct that Damon Hill will not be driving for the Rothmans Williams team in 1997," read an official team communique. "Full details of our driver line-up will be made in due course.
Many commentators believe Frentzen was signed as long ago as the 1995 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, a bitterly disappointing race for Hill which ended with his Williams embedded in a gravel trap. Some suggest that. Williams took a snap decision to sign the highly-rated Frentzen.
"Damon is disappointed and saddened," said Breen with masterly understatement yesterday. "He (Damon) would have been here himself today but he is only home for a day or two in Ireland between testing at Paul Ricard and the next race at Monza."
Williams has assured Hill that his decision to withdraw from negotiations had nothing to do with the financial aspects of the deal. Hill had been hoping to negotiate an increase on his current retainer, reputed to be $8 million, although Williams did express concern that he might have to pay for his engine supply in 1998 after Renault withdraws.
Meanwhile, the Jordan team is keeping its options open. "It is too early to make any decisions. We're just seeing how the situation develops," said a spokesman.
Jackie Stewart, the retired triple world champion who once partnered Damon's father Graham Hill at BRM, was similarly cautious. "I would dearly love to have Damon in the team," he said last week. "But I don't think we could afford him."
